This pork and sauerkraut goulash is again a reference recipe in Hungarian and Transylvanian cuisine, but it is also on my family’s list of favourite menus. In my opinion, this pork stew to which I will add sauerkraut is the perfect combination for a full lunch or dinner and if we add a tablespoon of sour cream on top, the taste of the goulash becomes amazing.
Table of Contents
- These Are The Ingredients
- How to Prepare Ingredients?
- How to Make the Pork and Sauerkraut Goulash?
- How Long Can You Keep This Goulash in the Fridge?
- Serving the Sauerkraut Goulash
I know many will say that it is inappropriate to call this recipe “goulash” because goulash recipes do not contain cabbage or sauerkraut, it is true but in Hungarian cuisine, we will find this recipe under the name “Székelygulyás” or “Székely káposzta” which means “Székely cabbage”.
As a method of cooking, this recipe can be made as in the initial recipe as it was invented, ie two stews are made separately, one of pork and one of cabbage after which the two are combined, like in my beef and cabbage stew recipe. But I will choose the simpler method, that is, these two main ingredients, pork and necessarily sauerkraut, I will cook them together and of course, I will season in my style.
These Are The Ingredients
Because this recipe is also tastier if we make it in larger quantities, from these ingredients we will get four huge portions or six normal portions.
As the name of the recipe tells us, pork and sauerkraut goulash, we have two main ingredients, I will use 800 grams (1.7 pounds) of pork boneless leg (or shoulder) and one kilogram (2.2 pounds) of sauerkraut.
In addition, I will use two onions of medium-large size and for an extra flavour, necessarily 150 g (0.3 pounds) of smoked bacon. I’ll show you the rest of the spices later when I will season the dish.
How to Prepare Ingredients?
I start with the pork and after I cleaned it of fat I cut it into cubes approximately equal to 2-3 cm (1 inch). Pork can be replaced with beef, as many prefer in Hungary, or even with turkey or lamb, the idea is to use a lump of lean, fat-free meat.
Sauercraut is recommended to taste first and if it is too salty or too sour it is recommended to leave it in cold water for 10-15 minutes or to pass it through a stream of cold water after which we let it drain in a strainer.
It depends on where you buy it, but they usually use a lot of salt to preserve it and you need to soak it in water to get rid of excess salt.
Because I had a piece of smoked bacon that wasn’t sliced, I cut it into sticks, but it can just as well be cut into cubes.
I still have to prepare the onions, which I chopped after peeling them, so they won’t even be seen in the food.
How to Make the Pork and Sauerkraut Goulash?
You will see that it is not a complicated recipe, we will start with making a pork stew, over which I will add the sauerkraut and I will cook them a little together.
Make the Pork Stew
In my favourite cooking pot, the Dutch oven, I heat about 50 ml of sunflower oil in which I will first put the smoked bacon to fry over medium heat.
After it has been fried for about two minutes, during which time the fat in it will melt and turn golden, I will add the chopped onion.
The onion should not be fried too much, become crispy, but only soften and become glassy, translucent, in about 3-4 minutes, stirring quite often.
Also now I will season by adding a teaspoon of ground caraway, two bay leaves, a teaspoon of sweet pepper paste, a teaspoon of tomato paste, a teaspoon of freshly ground pepper and the indispensable paprika from which I put two teaspoons.
As you can see, I didn’t add salt because I still don’t know how salty it will be after I add the sauerkraut.
If the onion has softened, we can add the diced pork, which we mix with a wooden spoon with the onion and spices and let it boil for about 4-5 minutes in its own juice.
Now I add enough hot water to cover everything, I put about half a litre, and let it simmer over medium-low heat for about 30-40 minutes until the meat is half softened.
Now Make the Sauerkraut Goulash
Add the sauerkraut over the half-cooked pork stew and mix well to incorporate it. Our pork and sauerkraut goulash is already starting to look very good and the pleasant smells are starting to fill the kitchen.
Depending on how much liquid is left in the pot, fill it with hot water to cover everything, I put half a litre again, and let it boil slowly for another 20-30 minutes.
Now it’s good to taste and add more salt if needed, I put half a teaspoon of sea salt and it came out perfectly.
And ready, with this I finished the Hungarian pork and sauerkraut goulash, it’s incredibly tasty, and I start serving the dish because I’m hungry.
How Long Can You Keep This Goulash in the Fridge?
Usually, after it has cooled, we can keep the preparation in the refrigerator for at least three days and even in the freezer for a month. Before serving, reheat it, giving it at least a boil, but it can also be reheated in the oven or in the microwave oven.
But let me tell you a secret, the taste of this dish will be even better the next day after the flavours combine even better.
Serving the Sauerkraut Goulash
In our family but also in other places, the pork and sauerkraut goulash is served hot, with fresh bread, with a spoonful of sour cream on top and possibly, who likes it, with chilli.
Try this recipe at home and write us your opinions, if you liked the dish and want other cabbage recipes we recommend the following:
- Sauerkraut Sausage Soup Recipe
- Best Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe
- Vegan Cabbage And Pasta Recipe
- Best Sauteed Savoy Cabbage Recipe
- Turkey Cabbage Stew Recipe
- Cabbage Soup With Pork Meat
- Best Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe
- Delicious Cabbage Casselore Recipe
- Best Cabbage Soup Recipe
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Pork and Sauerkraut Goulash
Equipment
- 1 Dutch oven pot
Ingredients
- 800 g pork boneless leg shoulders or ham
- 1 kg sauerkraut
- 2 pieces onion medium-large size
- 150 g smoked bacon cut in sticks or cubes
- 50 ml sunflower oil
- 2 pieces bay leaves fresh or dry
- 1 tsp caraway powder
- 1 tsp crushed sweet paprika
- 1 tsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp paprika sweet Hungarian
- 1 tsp ground pepper freshly ground
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 l water warm
Instructions
- Cut the pork into cubes, wash and drain the sauerkraut, cut the bacon into sticks ore cubes and chopp the onions.
- Heat the sunflower oil in which put the smoked bacon to fry over medium heat. Fry for about two minutes and add the chopped onion.
- Season with ground caraway, bay leaves, crushed sweet pepper paste, tomato paste, freshly ground pepper and Hungarian paprika.
- After 3-4 minutes, if the onion has softened, add the diced pork, mix with a wooden spoon with the onion and spices and let it boil for about 4-5 minutes in its own juice.
- Add enough hot water to cover everything, I put about half a litre, and let it simmer over medium-low heat for about 30-40 minutes until the meat is half softened.
- Add the sauerkraut over the half-cooked pork stew, fill it with a half litre of hot water to cover everything, and let it boil slowly for another 20-30 minutes.
- Taste it and now add salt if needed, I put half a teaspoon of sea salt.
- Serve hot, with fresh bread, with a spoonful of sour cream on top and with chilli.
Dobos Gyula
Monday 4th of April 2022
Even many Hungarians mistakenly believe that this dish originated in Transylvania. Around 120 years ago in Szeged, Hungary, a renowned restaurateur named Székely had it on his menu for the first time. The Germans, who on that part of Hungary we're numerous, named it Segediner Goulash, knowing that it is from there. We serve it in all our restaurants. Chef Jules